How to Make a Moist Cake

How many times have you been at a party and are looking forward to getting your slice of cake, only to be disappointed with the dryness of the cake which make you wish you had a cup of milk near by?  I hate that feeling and would rather just not have the slice.  Home made cakes are usually considered to be better tasting than the supermarket or mainstream factory made cakes but  you would be surprised at how many home made cakes turn out this way.This is due to the balance or lack there of ingredients in the recipe. All homemade cakes generally use the same basic ingredients that balance each other out: eggs, flours, sugar, and a fat (butter or oil). Here are a few tips and tricks I  have learned throughout the years I have been baking.

Things that will alter your cake

Firstly it is important to follow instructions and ingredients list properly, do not substitute ingredients like using margarine instead of butter. This will not only change the richness but also the moistness. Do not over beat your mixture, if the recipe calls for beat at medium speed for 2 min., then only beat for 2 min. Over beating causes for too much gluten to form, and too much gluten, can cause a dry cake. It is always advisable to use the most natural form of ingredients. If the recipe calls for real vanilla extract then that is what should be used, in my experience it gives the best flavor. Now pure Vanilla extract is costly in Toronto on average it is about $10 for a tube with one Vanilla been or if you're lucky 2, and if you are baker on a budget then the artificial/imitation Vanilla extract is just fine.

Dry cakes

• Dry cakes like Swiss Rolls and white cakes are made with a lot of egg whites which tend to dry out the cakes. 
• Baking a cake too long will also make for a dry cake, to avoid this you should keep a timer running.
• Add more flour than the recipe calls for will also result in a dry cake. This usually happens when you are measuring your cups (if using single cup measuring cups) and do not scrap off the excess. 

How to moisten cakes

• Taking out a cake from the oven just a few minutes before the time is up is an excellent way to make the cake moist. The cake finish cooking if left in the pan it was baked in.
• For a richer cake you can add an additional 1/4 cup of oil even if the recipe does not call for it. This works especially well for chocolate cakes.
• You can add  1 cup of sour cream to a box recipe.
• To get a moist cupcake prepare a day before eating. I think the letting them cool and settle is was does it, it's something I have noticed throughout the years.
• Simple syrup is a way to moisten the cake after it is already baked. Simple Syrup is made by simmering equal parts of water and sugar in a sauce pan until the sugar is dissolved. once cooled you brush or pour the syrup over the cake layers to moisten.

These are all techniques that I have used and have all aided in making the cakes more moist. My everyday go to moistening technique is adding the fruit juice of whatever fruit I am using in the filling to brush over the cakes. For chocolate cakes you can either brush over milk or even coffee, and it will also give it a great taste.

Try these techniques out and let me know if they work out for you and you have any techniques of your own please share, I would love to hear them.